Star Fox: Search and Rescue
by DeviousPorkchop
Summary: They were supposed to be on vacation! Just when the Star Fox team thought they would get some reprieve, they're thrust straight back to the front lines on a rescue mission. Their target, a stranded Cornerian operative with vital information that will decide the fate of the entire system!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello all! As you can see, I am new to the site, and this is my first story. Before we begin, I would like to put it out there that I personally do not like these "author's notes", as I feel like they completely kill the mood. So, this will probably be the only one in the whole story. Let me ask in advance that you please take the time to review with your thoughts so that I may improve in writing. Thank you, and enjoy the story… :)**

"…I am losing my patience! Who sent you?! How much have you discovered?!"

"F-fuck… Y-you…" my response is weak, and hoarse. I can feel the blood slowly oozing from my lips, and can taste the exquisite flavor of copper. I manage to pool some of the fluids up, and then spit them out on my captor's shoes. Bless my smart-ass self; I'm rewarded with a stinging back hand to the face. My vision goes blurry for a second, and the pain that was already there jolts significantly. My body commands me to scream, to let out my pain in one long burst. But I can only manage a sigh as my head slumps forward into my chest.

"Turn it on again. Maybe this time he'll be more cooperative." My captor snarls. My training teaches me to instantly clear my mind, to block out anything that could possibly hamper my pain tolerance, such as the thought of what will happen if I give in. The electrodes attached to the base of my tail, the small of my back, and both of my wrists light up, surging a hellish current through my body. This time, the reaction is instant, and I can't hold it in. I throw my head back and scream with all my might to the heavens. Then, after a short time, it's over. Then, there's nothing but black…

…When I regain consciousness, I find that I'm untied from the chair, and I'm being upheld by the armpits, with my legs hanging uselessly on the floor. I try to wiggle my toes, but to no avail. I am in no condition to fight. I feel myself being dragged down a corridor by two unknown assailants. I would try to identify them if I could, but these bastards put a sack over my head too. Then, I use whatever strength I have left to focus on my surroundings. I faintly pick up voices, and as usual, the news is grim.

"Take this rat into the desert, then kill him and bury the body."

"We have to do something about the Cornerians. This is the third agent we've captured in a six month period. "

"That'll be easy. Thanks to our new allies on Venom, we now have a list of names. These pests will be the least of our worries."

"But do you think he relayed our plan to his superiors?"

"Never! We would have caught the transmission before it even left the complex! The operation continues for now."

"Very well. I will see you soon."

"Good bye…" The voice of the leader says. He takes a few steps, stops, then adds "...And make it painful."

With that, he leaves, at least from what I can hear, and I'm left alone with the other three men. I hear an automatic door hiss open, and am greeted with the harsh burn of the Titanian sun. Now I remember…

…Three months ago, our once peaceful system suddenly turned to hell. Due to some economic shit- don't ask me how this works! I'm a spy, not a stock broker!- it seemed as if there was a major crash for all electronic companies, which in turn kicked back to the companies that mine the precious metals used to create those electronics… or something like that. Hell, you don't get much news out here in the middle of nowhere…

So anyways, mining is not a cheap operation. There're so many factors including worker hospitality that the owners of these places have to take into account. Once again, do _not_ ask me for details.

Doesn't sound like a world-threatening emergency, right? Well, I haven't finished! Now that several hundred thousand people were at risk of losing their jobs, and small mutterings of resentment towards our government were floating around, people started to get angry. There were riots on almost every single planet in the system. A few, like the one on Papetoon five weeks ago, were excessively violent. I think a few people died, actually. And since it was the Cornerian Defense Force holding the riot shields and launching tear gas, this gave the miners even more reason to hate.

Then, suddenly, the riots died down significantly. We were at a loss as to why. Then, an unmarked cargo ship was caught by a CDF frigate in the forbidden zone around Venom. Turns out, it was carrying a metric fuck-ton of minerals, all with the markings of Green Hill Enterprises, one of the largest mining companies in the system that was struck by the economic downturn.

What was this ship doing heading towards Venom? Knowing the nature of that hell-hole's inhabitants, probably nothing good.

This also explains why the riots had lost their intensity. Now that Venom was supplying the much needed money, there was no reason to be angered at Corneria anymore. That was good and all, but it still didn't answer the question of what the hell they were doing with all that metal. That's where I come in. I was the lucky son-of-a-bitch who got stationed on Titania! I had infiltrated Green Hill's largest mining operation in all of Lylat as a lowly maintenance crewman. That way, I had access to the entire facility, and I wasn't high enough on the food chain where they would pay any attention to me. Sadly, I got caught with my hand in the cookie jar, was captured, stripped of all my equipment and communications gear, tortured, interrogated, and here I am!

Back to the present, I'm dragged across blazing hot sand for a split second, and chucked carelessly into the backseat of a vehicle. The vehicle, which I now recognize as a Sand Rat hover zoomer, starts up, hovering just a few feet above the ground, and takes off. Two men are in the front, and the third man resides in the back.

Once again, I test my muscles, and I still feel like I was hit by an Arwing. I know for a fact that any attempt for escape would be disastrous. My ankle, which was broken during their "questioning" is swollen to the size of a grown man's biceps. There's no possible way I could run if I wanted too. And even then, I don't think I want to, as the only clothing they left on me were my pants. I don't think I would last long in the fucking _desert_ with no shirt or shoes.

Despite this, I know I still have to do _something_! I know that if I don't, the entire system will face utter destruction. That and I will be slowly ripped apart by a power saw.

Suddenly, the craft jolts a little, and the sack over my face slides off. Now, I'm starring into the grinning face of a massive ape wearing a Venomian combat uniform. He's armed with an assault rifle, like his identical friend in the front passenger's seat. However, I don't recognize the sloth in the blue jumpsuit driving the thing.

"Hey boys, Sleeping Beauty here decided to join us!" the one next to me laughs. He keeps the rifle aimed straight for my barren, bleeding chest.

"Just relax and enjoy the ride! Take in the scenery! It'll be the last thing you see for the rest of your life!" Ape number two adds. The three share a good laugh and quiet down. The guard next to me keeps the gun trained on me, though, so I'm forced to remain still. When I try to rise to a sitting position, he jabs me with the barrel, making me wince and lay back down. To get more comfortable, I pull my left arm out from under me…

…What the fuck…

God damn it all! I'm such a fucking moron! The pain in my body, coupled with my impending demise, isn't allowing me to think straight, because if I was, I would've instantly realized that these ass-a-nine henchmen forgot to fucking _tie me up_! They obviously haven't realized it either, because the guy guarding me looks away, gazing out the window. I begin to think and formulate a plan of escape. Finally, after going through about a million scenarios in which I get my face blown off, I find one with at least _some_ chance of survival.

First, I sit up, intentionally making a rustling noise. The ape suddenly whirls around and raises his gun.

"Get back down, scum!" he barks and tries to jab me again, this time a little more forcefully. Using his momentum, I grab the barrel and yank it past me. Next, I raise my right hand and deliver a vicious chop to his throat. He gags and releases the weapon, reaching up to his throat. Just as the other soldier is trying to whirl around and shoot me, I raise my newly acquired weapon and pull the trigger. I put three holes through his chest, rendering him out of action. Lastly, I take the butt of the rifle and bash the first guard's nose in, stunning him, and then, with whatever strength I have left, springing into him. I ignore the sharp spike of pain in my ankle as the door gives way and we both fly out into the harsh desert.

I hit the ground hard, and am aware of tumbling for a bit. I feel the rifle fly out of my grip, and then I come to a sudden stop. As I lay on my back, starring upwards, I take stock of myself. Turns out, I had miscalculated the effects of the maneuver. The whole thing had completely drained me. I'm positive I completely fucked up my ankle beyond repair. And now, I'm feeling the beginnings of what could possibly be the worst concussion ever.

"I'll admit, that was some high-flyin' shit, son…" the ape guard grunts as he slowly approaches, with his rifle returned to him. "…But it was a lost cause, I'm afraid."

He stands over me and takes aim, ready to execute me. A normal person would've laid still and waited, but I'm no normal person. My training dictates that I use something in my environment to distract the gunman. Already, I feel my fingers gripping a handful of sand to my right. The stuff's too thin to throw effectively, so I must wait for the right moment. It comes when the wind shifts, heading straight to the guard's front. I throw the sand high into the air, at about eye-level. It bombards his face, blinding him. He curses and staggers, giving me time to wrap my legs around his and twist sharply. He falls straight to the ground, and I jump up. Now, I'm ready to fight, and I don't plan on fighting fair. I grab a rock from the ground and begin pummeling him with it. Given his superior size, he easily throws me off like a blanket, but I'm instantly back on him again, wrestling for control of the weapon.

"Sit still so I can get a shot on him!" his friend in the jumpsuit shouts from the vehicle some distance away.

"No, you idiot! It's not safe!" the ape yells as we fight. But, his friend, obviously not a soldier, ignores him and fires a shot anyways from his blaster. A white hot beam of plasma whizzes past my ear.

"What the fuck! I told you not to shoot!" monkey-boy yells. He tries to fling me around into the shooter's line of fire. However, this comes to my advantage, as the driver is a horrible shot. All I have to do is fall to the ground at the right moment, and a plasma bolt burns into the ape's stomach. With a small cry of agony, he falls. I pick up the assault rifle and put him out of his misery with a good, clean head shot. Now, I can focus my attention on the sloth.

"Shit! This wasn't supposed to happen!" he cries in panic and dives behind the zoomer. He periodically reaches up and fires a blind barrage over the hood, but I don't think I'll have to worry. I'm able to leisurely stroll around the other side of the vehicle and take him down. Then, there is silence.

Now that I can think, my injuries catch up to me. Due to the severe concussion, I stumble, and then throw up whatever was in my stomach. The dull, throbbing pain in my ankle intensifies, making it all worse. And I begin to feel every single little nick on my body as I begin to sweat in the hot sun.

Unfortunately, I have no time to wallow in my misery. I have to get out of here before they realize that these guys are missing. Limping over to the dead guy in the passenger's seat, I throw him out on the ground and tear off his clothes. His shirt and boots are way too big on me, but it's bearable. I don't even bother putting a boot on my injured foot. Next I slip his vest on, and take his gun, and then I make use of the sloth's jumpsuit to bandage myself up. Last, I use a piece of the vehicle as a make-shift crutch for my ankle. I scrounge anything I need for the trip, then activate my emergency beacon by pressing a small button implanted in my neck right around my Adam's apple. Now, a computer in Corneria City will display my full profile and location, and all nearby CDF or Cornerian-friendly armed forces will race to my position. Bad part is, that's only if they're not already busy, so I'm pretty much on my own.

I look back sadly at the parked zoomer. In my long career with Green Hill, I know I cannot take it, as they plant a chip inside. They would find me in minutes. Turning, I look out to the horizon and begin my long trek in the southerly direction, where the nearest Cornerian military outpost lies…


	2. Back to Work

When the communicator went off, it was still dark outside. Fox McCloud, who lately had been used to sleeping in, groaned silently and rose in his small hotel room overlooking Corneria City. It was a modest room, with only the bare essentials. He was truly the hero type. He would feel snobbish if he'd gotten something better than everyone else, even if he _was_ the two-time savior of the Lylat system. That and he really just liked having only the bare essentials. It reminded him of his quarters aboard the _Great Fox_, which was being repaired after a plasma torpedo ripped through the starboard hull. It was now dry-docked at the CDF ship yard on the outskirts of the city, the reason he was in a hotel.

Fox reached onto the nightstand and grabbed the remote. Pressing a button, a large, holographic screen flickered to life at the foot of his bed. In the center of the screen was General Pepper's face. Surrounding him, in their own separate, smaller screens, was the rest of his team. Like him, they were all sitting awake in bed, and looked just as fatigued as him. However, not all of the team was present.

"Slippy, get up!" Krystal hissed at the sleeping frog in the bottom right corner, who was snoring while clutching a socket wrench.

"I'll get it." Fox mumbled sleepily, and then elbowed the wall behind him hard. A loud boom resonated in the room behind his, and Slippy jumped awake, eyes wide.

"Oh, hey General! Is the coffee machine not working again?" He yawned, tossing the wrench to the floor. Fox gave a small chuckled, and then noticed that there was still one man missing.

"I'll take it from here, Fox." Krystal mumbled with a grin and did the same to her wall. Suddenly, Falco jolted up in bed, shirtless, and came into view.

"Aw, what do you morons want now?! It's my vacation!" he whined tiredly.

"Falco, that's enough." Peppy scolded sternly from his screen. But what happened next caused everyone to facepalm.

"Falco, honey, what's wrong…?" a woman's voice asked softly from off-screen. Then, a beautiful, young mouse with silky blonde hair rose into view next to him, topless, and undoubtedly without clothes everywhere else. Fox blushed furiously and averted his eyes, trying his hardest to take his thoughts away from the woman's shapely body. He failed.

'_If only we could wake up like that…'_ Krystal said with a giggle in his head. He blushed even harder when he realized that she was raking his thoughts.

'_Er… I would never-! I mean… I'm not like that-!' _He stammered in reply. She laughed again.

'_Calm down! I was just kidding!' _ She laughed. She paused for a moment. '_…Or am I-?'_

'_Krystal, please!'_

'_Fine! Spoil sport…'_ she groaned and shut their mental connection. He felt himself relax when he felt her presence fade from his mind.

Back to the matter at hand, the young mouse girl noticed the rest of them starring. With a shriek of terror and a furious blush, she grabbed a pillow and covered herself before running off screen.

"No! Wait!" Falco called after her, to no effect. He growled in frustration and glared at Pepper. "What do you _want_?!"

"Well, now that everyone's paying attention, you need to get up; we have a job for you." Pepper announced. Everyone gaped in disbelief.

"Oh come on! Even after that last mission to Fortuna?!" Fox cried. "I thought you promised us three months leave?"

"I did, Fox," Pepper replied grimly. "But this mission will probably be one of the most important you've ever done for us."

"What's the job?" Falco asked irritably. Pepper smiled weakly.

"All will be explained soon. Be prepared to board military transport to CDF Headquarters." Pepper ordered with finality. Fox saluted.

"Yes sir." And with that, the hologram closed. As much as Fox didn't want to, he rolled out of the warm haven of his bed. He frowned when he heard snoring on the other side of the wall. For good measure, he smacked it.

"Alright! I'm up! Geez…" Slippy shrieked. Fox grinned and began packing…

…Three hours later, the team sat around a large holo-projector in the CDF Ops Room in the large, black glass building on the southern side of the city. The only light came from the projector, in which a miniature model of Titania slowly revolved in a circle. Once Fox saw this, he groaned. Their mission was going to be on _Titania_ of all places. Nothing but sand, rocks, and the un-godly heat.

Suddenly, the door opened, and everyone's heads turned to see General Pepper walk in, followed closely by a small, bony Persian cat in a civilian style suit. Fox eyed him with curiosity. It was not often that non-military personnel were allowed this far into the complex. Pepper took a seat at the head of the table, and the cat sat next to him.

"Star Fox, I'm sorry to bring you back into the action so quickly," Pepper began. "But we've got a dire situation on our hands."

"What else is new?" Falco snorted. "Let me guess, there's _another_ villain threatening to take over the system, and you need us to kick their asses for you?"

"Falco-!" Peppy started, but the General held up a hand.

"No, Mr. Lombardi, not this time." He replied. The Persian, who'd been sitting silently in his seat, cleared his throat, causing everyone to jump. It seems that they'd all forgotten his presence.

"I'll take it from here, General." He said curtly in a sharp, almost taunting, voice. He picked up a remote from the table and pressed a button. The globe of Titania faded and was replaced by a trinity symbol on top of the Cornerian flag.

"My name is Stan Reynolds. I am the head of the Covert Inter-planetary Crisis Response Team, or CICR. We are a top-secret branch of the Cornerian Intelligence Agency that specializes in preemptive espionage and sabotage in response to system-wide threats." He explained. Fox glanced around the room, and saw that everyone except Peppy was just as confused as him.

"We work by stationing highly-trained cell agents in various places throughout the system. Each one's identity has been erased and replaced with a new one. They are authorized to complete their objectives by any means necessary, but their existence will be denied if they are captured." Stan continued. He pressed a button, and the logo faded, and was replaced with a bio of a grim, battle-hardened raccoon standing at stock attention in full military dress. Across his chests were several colorful campaign ribbons, and his shoulder barred the emblem of Chief Petty Officer. On closer look, Fox saw that his golden eyes were faded, not really starring at the camera, but a thousand yards beyond it. He had seen much carnage and destruction in his career.

"This is our agent stationed in the Green Hill Enterprises mining complex Bravo on Titania. After Green Hill was convicted of selling materials to Venom, we ordered him to dig up as much as he could find on the reason why. He almost had it, before he was captured." Stan said. There was a long pause in which the team read the bio on the raccoon.

From what Fox read, his name was CPO Arthur Radley, age 32, born and raised in one of the many large, company-owned mining towns on Macbeth. As a child, he grew tired of the routine atmosphere of the town. While his peers aspired to grow up and work in the mines just like their parents, he wanted to explore. And the only way he knew he could accomplish that was with the CDF. At age 17, he came out to his parents about his true desires. Angered, his father severed all family ties and kicked him out of the house, leaving him to pursue his dream. He joined the military just before the Lylat Wars, and proceeded to see fierce ground fighting in every major theatre of the war.

After the war, he immediately resigned from the Cornerian military as Chief Petty Officer, and began hopping on and off the grid throughout the galaxy for two years, working mostly as a bounty hunter. After a particularly risky job in which he managed to bring down an entire crime-syndicate in the nearby Orpheus system, he was contacted by the CICR. After nine months of their grueling training program, he was stationed on Titania with his new identity as a maintenance worker for Green Hill, where he's been to this day.

Fox had to hand it to him. That was quite a story. He looked back up to Stan and nodded, acknowledging that he had read the bio. He straightened his tie and continued.

"This was the last transmission that he had sent us before his apprehension." Stan said grimly and pressed yet another button on the remote. The bio faded, and was now replaced by a video. It showed a stationary Radley starring, bug-eyed, at the camera. Fox saw that he was genuinely terrified of something. Radley was looking down at the camera, dressed in a red jumpsuit, and the room behind him was dark. Without further hesitation, Stan pressed play.

"…Jackie, it's Radley," Radley hissed urgently. He was breathing heavily, and constantly checking over his shoulder. "I… I don't have much time! T-they're on to me! My cover's b-blown! I had no choice…! Had to kill him…!" he stammered. After a moment, he took a breath and focused.

"For the past two months I've been sneaking out of my quarters after lights out, trying to find out just what these bastards were working on. I think I've found it!" Radley whispered. "Look, I don't have time to explain! I need you to send whoever you can to blow this facility sky high before-!" Radley did not get to finish his sentence. He was interrupted by a loud boom at the door behind him was blown off its hinges. The sounds of men filing in were heard, and Radley turned and raised his hands as he was beaten to the ground, cuffed, and taken away.

Then, the camera went black. The hologram switched back to the globe of Titania, and the lights came back on.

"So there you have it. We need you to go and recover that agent, and find out what it was he was so terrified of." Pepper announced with finality. Krystal raised her hand.

"Sir, with all due respect, how do we even know if he's still alive?"

"Yeah, and how're we going to get inside the damn place when we get there?!" Falco jutted in.

"Simple! You won't." Stan replied with a grin. He used his remote to rotate the hologram to the Eastern hemisphere of the planet. There, in the southeastern quadrant, was a blinking greed dot with a long serial number beside it.

"And as for your question, Ms. Krystal, we know he is still alive because of his implants here," he explained, pointing to the dot. "They are connected to his vitals, and this marker will begin blinking yellow if he is near death and red if he is already dead. Judging by this, it seems you have a bit of time before he flat lines, so let's get to it."

"One thing though," Slippy announced from his seat. "How're we even supposed to get there? The _Great Fox_ is still in dry dock!"

Fox's eyes widened in realization. Slippy was correct. How _were_ they supposed to get to Titania without their ship? Thankfully, Pepper spoke up, answering all questions.

"We've taken the liberty of moving your Arwings to the CDS _Nebula_." Pepper said with a weak smile. Everyone's eyes widened. The _Nebula_ was one of the new Dreadnought-class carriers. It was approximately 5,000 meters in length and 1,000 meters across. In other words: _big_ damn boat.

Falco gave a small whistle.

"Why all that firepower, chief?" he asked. Pepper's face was serious.

"Because if we find what Radley was talking about, then we may just _have_ to level the whole damned complex…" he said grimly. He nodded in acknowledgement, and Stan stood one last time.

"CPO Radley is not authorized under any circumstances to reveal his true identity. So, even if you find him, he will still deny any affiliation with the government." He warned. He reached into his suitcase and pulled out a file, handing it to Fox. "The authorization password is in the file, along with more information about this mission."

…Once again, the team was thrust into another troop transport, this time being shipped to the Cornerian fleet in low orbit. The _Nebula_ was easily distinguishable among the smaller ships, even at 20 miles and closing. When they were coming in to one of the five massive hangars on the side, Fox's jaw dropped. If this thing wanted to, it could be used for more than just taking out a mining complex. It could destroy the entire planet.

"Star Fox, it's an honor to have you aboard." Captain Peyton, a surprisingly fit eagle of about sixty five, greeted when they disembarked from the troop transport. After shaking hands, he introduced them to the ship. "This here boat's almost a good three miles long, and just a little shy of a mile across. If you need to go anywhere, use the monorail system."

"I'll keep that in mind." Fox said.

"Well, as much as I know you'd love to get acquainted with your quarters, there's one thing…"

"…Standard procedure, we have to get decontaminated." Fox almost groaned. Peyton laughed.

"'Adaboy, Mr. McCloud! But really, it's not so bad. The nurse is a real doll." He said and led them to the monorail. He climbed in the first one. "I'm headed back to the bridge. When the next monorail comes, press the button for 'Medical Wing'."

"Thanks!" Fox said as the door shut on the pod and Captain Peyton zipped off. Sure enough, another pod zipped into the previous one's place, doors open. The team piled inside and searched for the Medical Wing button. Once pressed, they were off. The most amazing thing about it was that they were moving in almost every direction at sixty miles an hour, yet felt no G's.

"I wonder what this nurse is like…" Falco chuckled mischievously. This was met with a disapproving glare from Krystal and Peppy.

"And _what_ does it matter?" Krystal hissed at him. Falco shrugged.

"Hey, I'm just sayin'! A man has needs, you know- SHIT!" Falco was interrupted as Krystal reach across the pod and slapped him, making Fox grin. Finally, after two minutes, they felt the pod stop, and the doors hissed open.

"Welcome to the Medical Wing." A robotic woman's voice said calmly from the speaker above. One by one, they piled out into the sterile waiting room. What, more like _who_ they saw made some of them gasp.

"Oh my god! Fox-! What're you guys doing here?!" Fay squealed excitedly and nearly knocked them over as she pulled them into a rib-crushing hug. As usual, her bubbly personality didn't fail her. She was dressed in a lab coat with her usual, red bow.

"Fay?! Since when were you a nurse?" Peppy asked. Fay released the other three and smiled at him with her large, collie eyes.

"Well, work's been pretty hard to get as of late, so I thought I'd use that Bachelor's degree in medical science that I never thought I'd use!" She replied. She looked at Krystal. "Oh! You must be Krystal, the new girl!"

"Nice to meet you, Fay." Krystal said curtly. Fay looked at her and leaned over to Fox.

"So, uh, Fox… Are things pretty steady between you two…?" she asked. Both Fox and Krystal blushed furiously.

"WHAT?!" they both shouted in terror. Fay just giggled.

"All this time apart has made me forget how easy it is to scare you, Fox!" she laughed. Falco grinned and crossed his arms.

"Fay, you haven't changed one bit." He chuckled. Fay scoffed in mock offense and put her hands on her hips.

"And just what exactly is _that_ supposed to mean?" she asked. Falco laughed.

"You're still a raving nut-case!"

"Oh shush, you!" Fay pouted. She regained her composure. "Alright, ladies and gents, step right up and form a line in front of the decontamination chamber! Ladies first…!"

…After their decontamination, the team climbed into the pod. Everyone hated the decontamination process because of the stale odor it left afterwards. However, it was for a good reason. The _Nebula_ was basically like a town in space. Thousands of people came on and off the ship a year, bringing with them disease-causing bacteria. Thus, it was mandatory that all new arrivals be decontaminated to prevent an epidemic.

Fox rubbed his eyes. "Falco, you were right, she really _hasn't_ changed a bit."

"Told you…"

"Is that _really_ what everyone thinks?" Krystal asked in slight distress. "Does _everyone_ think we're a couple?!"

"No! Look, you just have to know Fay. She's always been a hyper-active spaz…" Fox assured. He checked his watch. It was 9:30 p.m., Central Cornerian Time. The ship would enter slip space at midnight.

The team headed to the mess hall, which was by now almost empty. After enjoying a small meal of soup and sandwiches, they all slowly headed out to their quarters. Krystal split apart and headed to Female Barracks B, while the rest headed to Male Barracks D. Most of everyone was asleep, except for a few who gave them a friendly smile and a nod. Fox slipped into his bunk below Slippy's, exhausted from his long day, and slowly and surely drifted off to sleep.


	3. The Radley Update

"E-2… T-twenty-nineteen… zero, eight, f-four, two…" I whisper tiredly to myself as I trudge along.

How long have I been walking? Six hours? Eight? My whole body screams at me, begging me to close my eyes just for a moment. But I can't do that. I _have_ to get to the outpost… before… be-… -fore…

"E-2, twenty-nineteen… zero, eight, four, t-…" I don't even bother saying the last number.

No! No! No! Have to stay focused… Have to stay conscious… Have to keep walking… Can't stop… I'll die if I stop… Corneria destroyed… system plunged into war…

Oh my god, the pain! Every few minutes or so I black out while walking, and then regain consciousness right before I hit the ground, where I manage to save myself just in time. Damn concussion! Damn everything! Damn those Venomian bastards that tortured me! Fuck them all! I'll kill them- ! No! Stay on track… Stay alive… Stay in motion…

Gragh! I don't give a fuck! This _fucking_ broken ankle doesn't help my fucking mood at all! I _will_ kill them! I'll be rescued, get healed up, get my gear back, then I _will_ come back here and clear that _whole_ complex room by room! I'll even kill the ones with families! Make _them_ suffer too! No way they get away with this! No way…!

…God damn it all…

"E-2, twenty-nineteen… Zero, eight, four, two…" I grit through my teeth firmly. What that random series means, I'm too fuckin' exhausted to care… It was probably a serial number or something, fuck if I know.

Ugh… My head… I feel myself starting to black out again, and this time, I don't really feel like picking myself up… I don't care anymore… I'll be dead anyways… The entire universe could be at stake and I still wouldn't give a shit… Not my problem anymore…

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!" I shout verbally as I stumble. I reach out with my left arm and catch myself, then gingerly crawl back to my feet again. No! I can't give up now!

Suddenly, I shiver, despite the fact that it's about ninety degrees out here. I've been getting colder for the last thirty minutes. I think I'm getting sick. I feel feverish, my limbs are starting to get shaky, and I'm not sweating. Oh! What was the name of it…? De-something…

De… Hy-dra-ted…? Yes, I _think_ that's what it is… dehydrated. Yes, I'm severely dehydrated. My canteen ran our two hours ago. If I remember my first aid training well enough from when I was in the… Er… what was the name of it again…? CDF, right, the CDF. If I remember correctly, the next phase is a heat stroke… In which case I die if it goes untreated…

"E-2… Twenty-nineteen… zero, eight, four, two…" I grumble again as I come upon another one of those massive skeletons laying in the sand, from creatures long extinct… or just really fuckin' good at hiding…

"E-2… Twenty-nineteen… Zero, eight, four, two…" I repeat, a little quieter. I begin to lose consciousness again, and fall to the ground in a heap. This time, I only have it in me to drag myself into a sitting position against one of the massive rib bones.

"E-2… Twenty-nineteen… Zero, eight, four, two…" I whisper hoarsely. For the first time I look downwards at my torso, and see it soaked with blood. For some reason, I don't panic when I see a trail of it leading off in the direction I just walked from. For some reason, I don't panic when I realize I've been bleeding out this whole time on top of all my other injuries...

Well, it was a good try… but… I suppose I've cheated death enough for one lifetime, and now he's a-comin' to claim his prize…

"…E… …2… …Twenty… …Nineteen… …Zero… Eight…." I never finished the sentence. My world is filled with the blissful black…

**AN: A little short, yes, but essential. Next chapter up soon! Read and review!**


End file.
